U.S. House takes up Trump Agenda bill
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Yahoo
28 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Divided US appeals court blocks enforcement of Texas state immigration law
By Nate Raymond (Reuters) -Texas authorities may not enforce a Republican-backed state law that would let them arrest and prosecute people suspected of illegally crossing the U.S.-Mexico border, a divided federal appeals court ruled late Thursday. A 2-1 panel of the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld an injunction that blocked enforcement of the disputed law, which former Democratic President Joe Biden's administration had gone to court to challenge. Republican President Donald Trump's administration dropped the federal government's case, but Texas's law known as SB4 had continued to be challenged by, among others, the immigrant rights group Las Americas Immigrant Advocacy Center, which argued federal law preempted the state's. The law, which Texas Governor Greg Abbott signed in December 2023, would make it a state crime to illegally enter or re-enter Texas from a foreign country and would empower state judges to order that violators leave the United States, with prison sentences up to 20 years for those who refuse to comply. U.S. Circuit Judge Priscilla Richman, writing for the New Orleans-based court's majority, said that for nearly 150 years, the U.S. Supreme Court has recognized that the power to control immigration was exclusively a federal power. Relying on a 2012 U.S. Supreme Court ruling that struck down parts of an Arizona immigration law, she said the Texas law, if allowed to be enforced by the Texas Department of Public Safety, would interfere with the federal government's ability to enforce complex U.S. immigration laws. The state did not respond to requests for comment. The ruling upheld a lower-court judge's February 2024 preliminary injunction. The U.S. Supreme Court a month later briefly allowed the law to take effect, but the 5th Circuit within hours halted it pending further review. The opinion by Richman, an appointee of Republican President George W. Bush, was joined by U.S. Circuit Judge Irma Carrillo Ramirez, a Biden appointee. U.S. Circuit Judge Andrew Oldham, a Trump appointee, dissented. He said the majority treated as irrelevant that Trump has been encouraging states to aid his administration's efforts to ramp up immigration enforcement. "It is a sad day for the millions of Americans who are concerned about illegal immigration and who voiced those concerns at ballot boxes across Texas and the Nation," Oldham wrote. Cody Wofsy, a lawyer for the plaintiffs at the American Civil Liberties Union, in a statement welcomed the ruling, saying state immigration laws like the one Texas adopted have been repeatedly rejected by courts and "are deeply harmful to our communities.'
San Francisco Chronicle
30 minutes ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
Trump is expected to sign his huge bill of tax and spending cuts at the White House July 4 picnic
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump is expected to sign his package of tax breaks and spending cuts into law Friday after his cajoling produced almost unanimous Republican support in Congress for the domestic priority that could cement his second-term legacy. Against odds that at times seemed improbable, Trump achieved his goal of celebrating a historic — and divisive — legislative victory in time for the nation's birthday. Fighter jets and stealth bombers are to streak the sky over the annual White House Fourth of July picnic where Trump plans to sign the bill. The legislation, the president said, is 'going to make this country into a rocket ship. It's going to be really great.' Democrats assailed the package as a giveaway to the rich that will rob millions more lower-income people of their health insurance, food assistance and financial stability. "I never thought that I'd be on the House floor saying that this is a crime scene,' Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York said during a record-breaking speech that delayed the bill's passage by eight-plus hours. 'It's a crime scene, going after the health, and the safety, and the well-being of the American people.' The legislation extends Trump's 2017 multi-trillion dollar tax cuts and cuts Medicaid and food stamps by $1.2 trillion. It provides for a massive increase in immigration enforcement. Congress' nonpartisan scorekeeper projects that nearly 12 million more people will lose health insurance under the law. The legislation passed the House on a largely party-line vote Thursday, culminating a months-long push by the GOP to cram most of its legislative priorities into a single budget bill that could be enacted without Senate Democrats being able to block it indefinitely by filibustering. It passed by a single vote in the Senate, where North Carolina Republican Thom Tillis announced he would not run for reelection after incurring Trump's wrath in opposing it. Vice President JD Vance had to cast the tie-breaking vote. In the House, where two Republicans voted against it, one, conservative maverick Tom Massie of Kentucky, has also become a target of Trump's well-funded political operation. The legislation amounts to a repudiation of the agendas of the past two Democratic presidents, Barack Obama and Joe Biden, in rolling back Obama's Medicaid expansion under his signature health law and Biden's tax credits for renewable energy. The Congressional Budget Office estimates the package will add $3.3 trillion to the deficit over the decade and 11.8 million more people will go without health coverage. Trump exulted in his political victory Thursday night in Iowa, where he attended a kickoff of events celebrating the country's 250th birthday next year. 'I want to thank Republican congressmen and women, because what they did is incredible,' he said. The president complained that Democrats voted against the bill because 'they hate Trump — but I hate them, too.' The package is certain to be a flashpoint in next year's midterm elections, and Democrats are making ambitious plans for rallies, voter registration drives, attack ads, bus tours and even a multiday vigil, all intended to highlight the most controversial elements. Upon his return to Washington early Friday, Trump described the package as 'very popular,' though polling suggests that public opinion is mixed at best. For example, a Washington Post/Ipsos poll found that majorities of U.S. adults support increasing the annual child tax credit and eliminating taxes on earnings from tips, and about half support work requirements for some adults who receive Medicaid. But the poll found majorities oppose reducing federal funding for food assistance to low-income families and spending about $45 billion to build and maintain migrant detention centers. About 60% said it was 'unacceptable' that the bill is expected to increase the $36 trillion U.S. debt by more than $3 trillion over the next decade.
Newsweek
31 minutes ago
- Newsweek
What are the 'Patriot Games'? Trump's New Televised Sporting Competition
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. President Donald Trump announced the launch of the "Patriot Games," a national sporting competition for top high school athletes from all 50 states, as part of the kick-off celebration for the United States' 250th anniversary. The announcement took place Thursday at the Iowa State Fairgrounds in Des Moines, where Trump addressed supporters and detailed the event as a highlight of the upcoming Semiquincentennial festivities. The games are set to be nationally televised and intend to "show off the best of American skill, sportsmanship and competitive spirit," according to Trump's speech at the gathering. The announcement marks the start of yearlong celebrations leading up to America 250, scheduled to culminate next summer with major events on the National Mall in Washington. President Donald Trump arrives to speak at a rally at the Iowa State Fairgrounds, Thursday, July 3, 2025, in Des Moines, Iowa. President Donald Trump arrives to speak at a rally at the Iowa State Fairgrounds, Thursday, July 3, 2025, in Des Moines, Iowa. Alex Brandon/AP Photo Why It Matters The "Patriot Games" seek to spark national excitement but has already drawn scrutiny and differing reactions as it arrives amid a deeply polarized national climate. Trump has described the games as a way to unite the nation and highlight its youth talent, proclaiming that "there could be no better birthday present for America" than to celebrate the nation's values and competitive excellence. However, the games, as well as the broader anniversary festivities, have sparked questions about whether national unity can be achieved through events closely tied to Trump's political agenda. Organizers hope the yearlong series of celebrations will bridge divides, but recent cost-cutting measures and leadership changes at federal cultural institutions have complicated the planning. What To Know The Patriot Games: What Are They? Trump positioned the "Patriot Games" as an opportunity for young Americans to "show off the best of American skill, sportsmanship and competitive spirit," linking the event with patriotic celebration and national renewal. He also suggested adding other high-profile competitions, referencing potential UFC matches at the White House in the same speech. Organizers describe the games as part of a broader initiative to engage Americans across generations and backgrounds, reflecting "a monumental celebration, kicking off a new era of American greatness." Political Overtones and Controversy The announcement arrives against the backdrop of challenging preparations for the Semiquincentennial. Trump's administration has cut funding to federal cultural agencies and installed loyalists in key leadership roles. This has raised concerns among some historians and officials about the politicization of the festivities and whether events like the "Patriot Games" will further inflame, rather than bridge, partisan divides. The games have been promoted as apolitical, but Trump's own rhetoric has closely tied expressions of patriotism to support for his administration and policies. Involvement and Selection Details about the selection process for athletes participating in the "Patriot Games" have not been fully disclosed as of July 4. Trump said the event would include high school athletes from across the states taking part in a range of events but did not specify which sports or how athletes would be nominated or chosen to compete. Public and Institutional Challenges Federal funding reductions have already affected preparations for America 250. The National Endowment for the Humanities announced grant terminations to state humanities councils, impacting local programming, including readings of the Declaration of Independence and cultural events. Gabrielle Lyon, chair of the Illinois America 250 Commission, said, "It is very hard to understand how we can protect and preserve people's ability locally to make this mean something for them, if you're not funding the humanities councils." What People Are Saying Monica Crowley, U.S. Ambassador and America250 liaison, said: "[This is] something that I think that all Americans can come together to celebrate and honor our history as well as our present and our future." What Happens Next The "Patriot Games" and broader America 250 festivities are scheduled to culminate with major public events on July 4, 2026, on the National Mall and in communities nationwide. Organizers are expected to release additional details about the sports included, qualifying criteria for high school athletes, and broadcasting partners in the coming months. The extent to which these events will foster unity or continue to fuel controversy over their political associations remains to be seen as planning progresses. This article contains reporting from The Associated Press
